Improvement in machines for finishing boot-legs



V M. V. B. ETHRIDGE. Medellin for Finishing Boot-Legs. 'No. 2h;

Patented Jan. 28,1879.

INVENTEIR Fig- 5- N, PETERS. 'PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEioE.

MARTIN V. B. ETHRIDGE, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENT, TOGEORGE IV. COPELAND, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR FINISHING BOOT-LEGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,623, dated January28, 1879; application filed February 11, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M. V. B. ETHRIDGE, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inMachines for Fitting, Smoothing, and Finishing the Leg of a Boot on aBoot-Tree, of which the following is a specification:

This invention consists in a revolving smoothing and finishing toolprovided with means for vertical, horizontal, and lateral adjustment inrelation to a boot-t1ee, in means for operating said tool, in means forproviding said tool with the adjustments above named, and in means foroscillating said tool.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2is a vertical section on the line so a; of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is apertical cross-section of the upright portion of Heretofore the workwhich my revolving smoothing and finishing tool accomplishes was done,after the boot was treed, with a smoothing-stick of hard wood properlyrounded on the surface contacting with the leg of the boot. With thistool operated by hand it was possible to smooth out the wrinkles, toperfectly fit the boot-leg to the tree, and to rub in the fillingmaterial used in finishing the leather; but it was a tedious operation,and very wearing on the strength of the persons performin git.

In my machine the boot is treed in the ordinary way, so far as theinsertion of the stretching-blocks is concerned, after which the treeing mechanism performs the duty of a jack in presenting the boot-leg tothe operation of the smoothing and finishing tool.

There are quite a number of treeing-machines that can be used with mymechanism; but I prefer to use that described in the patent granted toR. L. Lewis, and known as the Howe machine, although any tree may serveas a jack when provided with means at its end forlturning the same tothe operation of the too The smoothing and finishing tool A, preferablymade of hard wood, is represented in Fig. 2 as suspended over a jack, B,provided with means for the adjustment above named, in the horizontal orsubstantially horizontal frame 0, which extends backward from the tool,and is pivoted at c to the swinging yoke Dr This swinging yoke proiectsfrom the short shaft cl, which is provided with bearings in the swingingframe E, itself suspended by the rods 6, cross-bar e, and staple c froma hook, f, at the center of crossbar F.

The shaft (1 communicates the power from the driven pulley G, operatedby the belt 9, to the pulley H, operating, through pulley land the belth, to revolve the smoothing and finishin g tool. The tool or frame 0 isprovided with the handles K.

Of course I do not confine myself to the exact construction andoperation shown and described, but may use any mechanical substitute orequivalent for the parts named which will serve as they do in providingthe smoothing and finishing tool with a revolving movement, withahorizontal adjustment in relation to the boot tree or jack, with avertical adjustment in relation to the same, with a lateral movement inconnection therewith, and with a vertical rockin g, swiveling, ortipping movement at the center of its length, or with either of saidmovements or adj ustments, or with combinations of two or more of them,as the case may be, in connection with a boot tree or jack provided withmeans for turning or partially turning the boot-leg in presenting it tothe action of the tool. I prefer to make my tool somewhat concave inorder to better adapt it for operation on the convex surfaces of aboot-tree.

Operation: The boot having been adjusted on the boot-tree in theordinary way is subjected to the action of the revolving tool, which, bythe adjustments above named, can be brought to act on any portion of thebootleg in removing wrinkles, in smoothing it on the tree, in rubbing inthe filling material, and in otherwise finishing the leg.

The advantage of the machine is the ease and facility with which theboot-leg can be smoothed, fitted, and finished, as compared with thesame manipulation when done by hand.

I am aware that the patent to White, granted March 12, 1872, Reissue No.4,805, shows and describes a machine for rubbing out and rolling bootand shoe seams; also, that the patent to Thompson of May 6, 1873, No.138,713, shows and describes a device for rubbing down and rolling bootand shoe seams, in combination with a device for stretching a boot-leg.The first-named apparatus has a reversible support for the boot or shoe,but this tool is provided only with a vertical yielding adjustmentagainst the pressure of a spring. The other contrivance does not claimany special adj ustability of either the tool or the support presentingthe seam to the tool, and neither device shows a tool positivelyactuated. I do not claim anything elaborated in said patents, for mymachine is intended to be used in smoothing out wrinkles in a boot-leg,in fitting the same upon the boot-tree, and in rubbing in a filling andfinishing composition, which is accomplished by a tool of a peculiarshape given peculiar adjustments in relation to a peculiar support orjack, and having a constant movement or rotation.

It will be seen that in this machine the smoothing and finishing of theboot-leg upon the boot-tree is accomplished by the rolling action of thetool upon the boot-tree. It will also be seen that said tool ispositively actuated and constantly revolves when in operation. It willbe observed, further, that said tool is provided with a variety ofadjustments in relation to the boot-tree, in order that it may work withuniformity and precision thereon when guided by the operator; that bysaid adjustments the tool can be caused to operate upon the uppersurface of the boot-tree, upon the side of the boot-tree, upon the endportion thereofin fact, upon any section where it may be desirable tosmooth out wrinkles and rub in a filling composition-Without causing thesaid boot-tree to rotate; but in some cases it is desirable that thesaid boot-tree be adapted to rotate in relation to the line of action ofthe tool. It will be noticed that in operating this tool the same isguided upon the work by the handles, which enable the operator to turnthe tool in almost any direction in relation to the bolt-tree inperforming its work.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1.In a machine for smoothing and finishing a boot-leg upon a boot-tree orother support having a revolving movement at right angle to the line ofaction of said tool, a concave revolving smoothing and finishing tool,positively actuated by mechanism entirely behind said tool, incombination with said boot tree or support, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

2. In a machine for smoothing and finishing a boot-leg upon a boot-treeor other suitable support adapted to revolve at right angles to the lineof action of the smoothing and finishing tool, a positively-actuatedconcave revolvin g smoothing and finishing tool, operated by mechanismentirely behind the same, and provided with means for the variousadjustments described in relation to said boot-tree, and with thehandles K for guiding the same in relation to said boot-tree, incombination with said boot-tree, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a machine for smoothing and finishing a bootleg upon a boot-treeor other support having rotation at right angles to the line of actionof the tool, the combination of a swinging frame, suspended by auniversal or other suitable joint carrying driving and driven operatingmechanism, and supporting a swin ging yoke, with the swiveling frame 0,furnishing a bearin g for the positively-actuated revolving tool A, andthe tool-drivin g mechanism, all arranged to operate substantially asdescribed.

MARTIN V. B. ETHRIDGE. \Vitnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, A. J. OE'ITINGER.

